Atletico Madrid's downward spiral

Atletico are being forgotten in cup competitions.

But after just 90 minutes of the opening match – a 0-4 defeat against PSG – all those ambitions shattered like a soap bubble. Not because of a lack of fighting spirit, but because the gap in class – especially in terms of financial resources – is becoming increasingly insurmountable.

Coach Diego Simeone stated bluntly in the post-match press conference: "Luis Enrique said he needed a player, and PSG immediately spent 70 million euros to bring him in in January." This statement was both bitter and realistic. While PSG acted like a "big spender who doesn't care about the price," Atletico Madrid was still struggling with every contract and every penny of their budget, with wage bills and spending power constrained for many years.

Figures from Transfermarkt reveal a hard truth: PSG's squad is valued at €1.06 billion. Meanwhile, Atletico Madrid's value is only €508.5 million, ranking behind even Brighton (€555 million) and Sporting CP (€511 million). They are a mere 18th on the list of the world's most valuable clubs, far behind the top group including Real Madrid (€1.33 billion), Man City (€1.32 billion), Arsenal (€1.09 billion), and Barcelona (€1.07 billion).

This isn't just about money. It reflects a disparity in appeal, development direction, and the ability to retain or attract star players. A team that once reached three Champions League finals in just a decade is now falling behind, both on the pitch and in the transfer market.

In less than a year, Simeone's squad lost 22 million euros in value. The reason is not difficult to explain: key players like Griezmann, Koke, Llorente, and De Paul are all past their prime. They are still experienced players, but their market value – which is influenced by age and future potential – is no longer high.

Atletico is no longer considered a "big club".

The most valuable player right now is Julian Alvarez, valued at 100 million euros – double the value of the second most expensive player in the team. But one star, however brilliant, cannot lift an entire declining system back up the ranks.

Not only Transfermarkt , but bookmakers also gave frank assessments. After the crushing defeat against PSG, Atletico dropped to 7th place in the list of Club World Cup title contenders, with odds of 21.0 - a far cry from PSG (3.5), Real Madrid and Man City (5.5), or even Chelsea (10.0) and Inter Milan (19.0). At the end of the group stage, they were also eliminated - despite earning 6 points.

This shows that expectations for the Madrid team are no longer focused on being among the top teams. They are no longer the "surprise" team they were in the 2013-2017 period, but are gradually becoming a forgotten name in the race for continental titles.

The Club World Cup is a mirror reflecting the strength of footballing nations and top clubs. And in that mirror, Atletico Madrid appears not as a title contender, but as someone nostalgic for the past, trying to cling to glory with an outdated squad, amidst a football world that has changed too quickly and too drastically.

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